It’s always hard for my family to buy gifts for my mom when Mother’s Day rolls around. Much to my dismay, she doesn’t like jewelry and we’ve made her sick of carrot cake (her former favorite) over the past years, leaving us with limited options. However, one thing she’ll never pass up is a homemade breakfast!
 

​When we lived in the Netherlands, every time the second Sunday of May rolled around, we’d walk down to our neighborhood bakery called “Bakker Bart” and indulge in flaky puff pastry turnovers filled with chocolate, sausage and jam (my personal order) or some sort of egg mixture. I decided it would be fun to recreate those moments this year combining scrambled eggs with chilies, onion, green pepper, and pepper jack cheese with Johnsonville Fully Cooked Sausage Patties, and wrapping the final product in puff pastry. Delicious!
​
I’m so happy to have discovered Johnsonville Fully Cooked Sausage Patties because they allow my mom to have breakfast in bed tomorrow while still allowing us all to get the zzzz’s we need… the patties are placed directly on the puff pastry prior to baking-no pre-cooking required! The sausage also has 10 grams of protein per two patties! I highly recommend you give this new product from America’s largest sausage brand! I'm using the original variety in this recipe, but the turkey variety tastes great, too. The bold flavors form the sausage pair perfectly with the spice from the chilies and the richness from the cheese. 

The recipe below is perfect for kids to make for their mom on Sunday! It requires little chopping and stove time, and the assembly of the turnovers is super fun and interactive. When there is chopping or stove time, get a parent to help you!

Southwest Breakfast Turnovers

Makes 4 turnovers
Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus thawing of the puff pastry, if frozen)
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
 
​-4 Johnsonville Fully Cooked Sausage Patties (1/2 of 9.6 oz. package) 
-1 sheet puff pastry, thawed if frozen
-4 eggs plus 1 additional egg for brushing
-1/2 green bell pepper, diced
-1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 diced onion)
-1/2 cup pepper jack or colby jack cheese
-4 tablespoons diced green chilies (from a 4 oz. can)
-1/2 cup corn kernels
-3 tablespoons milk or cream
-1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
-1 tablespoon butter
-Salt and Pepper
-Jalapeno slices and shredded cheese, for topping (optional)

​Directions: 
​1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.  
2. ​In a large skillet over medium heat, add butter. When melted, add in the green pepper and onion. Cook until the bell pepper is tender, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and ground cumin. 

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, diced green chilies, milk, and salt and pepper. 
​

​4. Add the eggs to the pan and scramble. When scrambled, remove from heat, and stir in cheese and corn. 

5. Roll out the puff pastry to make 4 squares. I first cut the sheet into 4 squares then rolled each square out to about 5 by 7 inches. 

6. Cut a sausage patty in half through the middle. to produce two equal sized patties. Get a parent to help you with this! Place the two smaller patties side by side on one half of the puff pastry. 
​

7. Place ¼ of the egg mixture directly on top of the sausage. Dip a pastry brush in either egg wash or heavy cream and brush the edges of the puff pastry with the liquid. Fold the puff pastry over and pinch edges together to seal (I use a fork for this). Repeat with the three remaining squares. 
​

8. Place the turnovers on the baking sheet and brush them with the beaten egg. Then, make a slit in each with a knife. Put the turnovers in the oven for approximately 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. 5 minutes before the turnovers are done, I sprinkle the tops with cheese and place a jalapeno slice on each. Of course, this is for photo purposes :) 

9. Let the turnovers cool for 10 minutes when they come out of the oven, then enjoy! 

To finish off this post, I asked my mom to share her top three tips for a Mother’s Day breakfast. I was glad to see good food is on the list, I’m sure this dish fits the bill! 

​1. Make a delicious meal your mom enjoys!
2. I personally enjoy coffee with my breakfast-so I'm thrilled when Jordan has a pot ready when I wake up!
3. Moms love breakfast in bed! Just don't make too much noise at 6AM :) 

This post is in collaboration with Johnsonville Sausage. Visit Johnsonville.com for more information and recipes! Happy Cooking!

I had the privilege of presenting on the "Healthy Cooking 4 You Stage" this weekend in Washington, D.C.! It was an amazing experience, and I was very grateful to meet many inspirational people, including the executive chef of the Washington Capitals! Above is a collage I posted on Instagram capturing some of my favorite moments from the weekend! 

I made 3 kid-friendly, healthy recipes during the presentation. The recipes are below!

Gluten Free Cookie Dough Truffles
​
Ingredients:1/3 cup chocolate chips (vegan if needed)
1/3 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)-I use peanut butter that contains 100% peanuts
1/3 cup maple syrup
15 oz. chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3/4 cup chocolate chips, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons milk
Place the chickpeas in a food processor and pulse for about a minute.
Add the rest of the ingredients accept the chocolate chips and pulse until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, transferring the mixture to a bowl if necessary.
Shape the dough into balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator for one hour.
Combine the melted, cooled chocolate and the milk. Dip the bites into the chocolate, one at a time, being careful. Coat all sides of the cookie dough. Place back on the parchment lined sheet and place in the fridge for another hour, until the chocolate is firm. Continue to store the truffles in the refrigerator. Enjoy! :)

Mac and Trees Muffins:
8 ounces uncooked whole wheat pasta 
2 cups broccoli florets, blanched (recipe follows)
1 3/4 cup cups cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
¾ cup cup milk 
1 egg, beaten
Pinch of cayenne
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

​Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 12 muffin tins with cooking spray. Combine breadcrumbs, thyme, and parsley in a small bowl and set aside. 
Cook pasta according to package directions. Stir in the egg. Add in the blanched broccoli, Greek yogurt, milk, cheese and cayenne. Fill the muffin tins with the mixture. Top with about teaspoon of the breadcrumb mixture. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the liquid has set and the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Let cool. Remove from muffin tins. Enjoy! :)

​Blanched Broccoli: 
Add the broccoli florets to boiling, salted water and cook for a minute. Transfer the drained florets to a bowl filled with ice water.
​

​

​The final dish was chicken tostadas, with multiple components, so I attached the recipe in a word document at the end of this post. Enjoy! :)

A big thanks to NBC4 Washington for giving me the opportunity to present at the expo this weekend! 

-Jordan Weber
Instagram: @teencooking
Twitter: @teenchefjordan
YouTube: YouTube.com/c/teencooking
Contact: jordankalif@gmail.com

Now that it is football season, my dad has been asking for me to come up with appetizer recipes! Dips are the best appetizer out there...easy to make and eat! I have started to cook with more chorizo lately, and have been loving the smoky and spicy flavor. Combine that with cheese and a few other ingredients, and you've got something extra special! 

I like to serve this with tortilla chips but the recipe I adapted it from (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/marcela-valladolid/baked-cheese-with-chorizo-recipe.html) is served on flour tortillas, which I think would taste great! Give it a try yourself! 

Ingredients: 
-12 oz. raw chorizo
-1/2 onion, chopped
​-1 garlic clove
-1 teaspoon chili powder
-1 heaping cup shredded mozzerella cheese
-1 tablespoon olive oil 
-Chopped scallion, for topping, optional 


Directions: 

Preheat the broiler. 

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Add the chorizo, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. 

Add the onion to the skillet and cook until translucent. Add the chorizo back into the pan and add in the chili powder, stir to combine. 

Grease a 9 by 9 baking dish. Place the meat mixture on the bottom and top with the cheese. Place in the broiler for a few minutes, keeping a close eye on it so it doesn't burn. The cheese should be somewhat golden and bubbly. Top with the optional scallion. Serve immediately. Enjoy! :) 


-Jordan
Instagram: @teencooking
Twitter: @teenchefjordan
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbdJdSoa0dXHqgr_BDUQ7YA
Contact: jordankalif@gmail.com

This September many restaurants across the country set aside portions of their profits. Students, business, and individuals held bake sales. Groups led meetings, food drives, and other events; all with one common goal: ending childhood hunger. Today marks the end of No Kid Hungry month, but the fight continues to connect kids in need with nutritious food. No Kid Hungry is a campaign that does just that. 

I am proud to be a Generation No Kid Hungry ambassador. Generation No Kid Hungry is a branch of NKH, led by youth leaders. I thought I'd share an article I wrote for the Generation No Kid Hungry "Hunger Hero Spotlights".  Read below to find out why No Kid Hungry is important to me and what inspired me to get involved.

"I first heard of No Kid Hungry while purchasing a baked good at a fundraiser. After doing a little more research, I was excited to find out what the campaign stands for. My family has lived across the US, in The Netherlands, and in Canada. I was surprised to see that hunger affected many kids in all neighborhoods we lived in. You always know that hunger is out there in the world, but many people have no idea that it occurs all around them. I started volunteering at food banks, food drives, and soup kitchens.

It was really when I saw the statistics of childhood hunger on the No Kid Hungry website (16.2 million children going hungry in the US alone), I knew I had to get further involved somehow. I wanted to help my peers. 

No Kid Hungry has provided me and many others with the platform we need to participate in the conversation to end childhood hunger. Without the resources that No Kid Hungry provides children with, including the summer meals program, the number of hungry children around the world would be greater. For those reasons, I am forever grateful for the existence of No Kid Hungry!"

Here are some ways to get involved!
-Host a bake sale
-Volunteer at your local food bank 
-Host an event (ex. dinner party) 
-Through the "Cooking Matters" campaign you can volunteer to teach cooking classes or lead grocery store tours in your community!
-Enter your zip code here to find organizations near you combatting childhood hunger! 

Some restaurants are donating a portion of their profits to NKH beyond the month of September. We enjoyed eating at Benihana this month!

Visit nokidhungry.org to learn more. Check out my fellow Generation No Kid Hungry Ambassadors here...all are such inspirations, I'm honored to be included! http://www.nokidhungry.org/blog/youth-advocates/2015/09/meet-generation-no-kid-hungry-ambassadors-no-kid-hungry-month 

Let's end childhood hunger together!

I used to love getting  peanut butter cookies from local bakeries but once I discovered how easy to make and delicious the homemade version is, I have never looked back! Plus, you can control what goes into the cookies when you make them yourself. I came up with a recipe with no flour, no refined sugar, and loaded with peanut butter goodness!

Here's the link to my channel to watch loads of other videos. Be sure to subscribe! :): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbdJdSoa0dXHqgr_BDUQ7YA

Makes 12 cookies
20 minutes, plus 30 minutes in the fridge. Total: 50 minutes.

Ingredients:
-1 cup peanut butter (I use peanut butter made from 100% peanuts)
-1/3 cup oats (I use quick-cooking)
-3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1 egg
-1/3-1/2 cup maple syrup 
-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
-Pinch of salt (I didn't count this as an ingredient)

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, vanilla, egg, and manly syrup. Beat with an electric mixer until combined. 
2. In a small bowl, combine the oats, cinnamon, and baking soda. 
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat until combined. 
4. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 an hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F (176 C). 
6. 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, roll into a ball and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing each ball a few inches apart. 
7. Place into the oven for 10-12 minutes. Enjoy! :) 

-Jordan Weber
Blog: teenchefjordan.com
Instagram: @teencooking
Twitter: @teenchefjordan
Contact: jordankalif@gmail.com

Cobb salad is not your average salad. With the addition of avocado, hard boiled eggs, tomato, baked chicken, BACON, and topped with a homemade blue cheese dressing, every bite is packed with flavor! 

These ingredients are just my favorite toppings, but feel free to change it up. Sautéed mushrooms and shallots are delicious! Ranch or basaltic vinaigrette can be swapped for the homemade blue cheese dressing, too! Make it your own. 

Subscribe here for weekly videos!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbdJdSoa0dXHqgr_BDUQ7YA

Ingredients: 
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 avoado, chopped
3 strips bacon, chopped 
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 cup cooked chicken, cut into bite sized pieces (about 1 chicken breast) 
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
Olive Oil

Dressing:
1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons mayo (I used the olive oil variety)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Salt and Pepper
2 teaspoons reserved bacon fat, optional
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or a splash of hot sauce, optional

Directions:
Salad: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat a drizzle of olive oil. Add in the bacon and cook until crispy, about 7 minutes. Place the bacon on a paper-towel lined plate and set aside. Reserve the bacon fat for the dressing, optional. 
To assemble the salad, place the lettuce on a platter. Vertically lay each component next to each other; the cooked bacon, cooked chicken, avocado, hardboiled eggs, and tomato. 
Dressing: In a medium bowl, mix all of the ingredients. Toss with the salad. Enjoy! :) 

*To make the perfect hardboiled eggs, heat a few inches of water in a large skillet. Cold water boils faster. Gently place the eggs in the boiling water. Cover, cook for 12 minutes. Peel and eat for breakfast, a snack, use them in this recipe! 

-Jordan Weber
Instagram: @teencooking
Twitter: @teenchefjordan
YouTube: YouTube.com/c/TeenCooking
Contact: jordankalif@gmail.com

The title of this post says it all! Everyone is always on the lookout for recipes that contain all three of these adjectives. Oh, and this Indian dish of chickpeas in a spiced tomato sauce happens to be super flavorful and it makes your house smell amazing, too! Here's the video: 

Subscribe here for weekly videos!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbdJdSoa0dXHqgr_BDUQ7YA

Because this dish cooks quickly, I recommend to have all your ingredients set out and prepared ahead of time. 

Ingredients: 
2 cups cooked chickpeas ( 1 1/2 15.5 oz. cans)
14.5 oz. diced tomatoes
1 yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green chile (I used 1 tablespoon chili powder in a pinch)
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons garam masala (check out the links below if you cannot find this spice in your grocery store-make your own!
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (or ground cumin)
Cooked rice or naan (an Indian flatbread), for serving

Directions: 
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil. 
2. When hot, add the cumin seeds and cook for a minute, until fragrant. Add the garlic, ginger, green chile (if using) and onion and cook for 6 minutes, until soft. 
3. Add the garam masala, chili powder (if using), if using, turmeric, and coriander/cumin. Cook for a minute, until fragrant. 
4. Add in the diced tomatoes, stir until combined. Let simmer for 5 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add water (I ended up adding about 1/2 cup)
5. Stir in the chickpeas. Cover, let simmer for 10 minutes. Serve immediately with rice or naan. Enjoy! :)

Homemade garam masala:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-garam-masala/?mxt=t06dda

I'm turning it over to Nancy Sidnam of the Wellie Project who's going to share a delicious smoothie recipe! (Trust me, it's SUPER delicious....I tried it this morning!) Thanks Nancy! 

Quick note: Make sure to follow @thewellieproject on Instagram and check out thewellieproject.com!

1 banana
1/2 cup blueberries
1-2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons oats
Two handfuls of baby spinach
1/2 cup water or almond milk (or any other kind of milk)

...And just blend together!

If you're not feeling the peanut butter, plain greek yogurt is a great alternative. Kale can be substituted for the spinach. And if you prefer a thicker consistency, start with less water/milk and then slowly add more as needed.

Enjoy!

In an effort to make it not feel like I'm going back to school in a month I made some key lime pies. The crisp graham cracker crust with a tart, tangy, yet sweet lime layer with lots of freshly whipped cream just screams summer. Eyeing some small glasses, I thought it would be fun to make mini versions of the pie! 

My favorite flavor at the local frozen yogurt shop is key lime pie. So when I was trying to come up with ways to make the decadent dessert a little lighter, I thought to add some yogurt! I was a little skeptical at first, thinking it would no longer taste like a dessert, but no! The tangy yogurt paired perfectly with the tart lime. Give these a try yourself!

Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbdJdSoa0dXHqgr_BDUQ7YA

Ingredients: 
Lime layer:
-Juice of 2-2 1/2 limes
-Zest of 1 lime
-3/4 cup plain yogurt
-300 ml (10 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 

Graham Cracker Crust:
-3 oz. graham crackers
-2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
-2 teaspoons sugar

Topping:
-3/4 cup cold heavy cream
-1 tablespoon granulated sugar
-Lime zest or crushed graham crackers, optional

Directions:
For the crust: place the graham crackers in a food processor and process until the crackers are fine crumbs. If you don't own a food processor, simply place the crackers into a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin-then add into a bowl to combine with the remaining ingredients. Pour in the melted butter and the sugar and pulse to combine. Add a few tablespoons of the mixture into each of 4 small plastic glasses. Press into the cup with the back of a spoon. Set aside.
For the lime layer: Combine the yogurt and sweetened condensed milk in a large bowl. Add in the lime zest and juice, stir to combine. Fill each cup 3/4 of the way with the mixture, set aside. 
For the whipped cream: Place the cream into a large bowl, whip on medium speed until soft peaks are formed. Add the sugar, whip to combine. Place a dollop of whipped cream onto each cup. Place in the fridge for an hour before serving. Top each with crushed graham crackers or lime zest, if desired. Enjoy! 

-Jordan Weber
Instagram: @teencooking
Twitter: @teenchefjordan
Facebook: Facebook.com/teenscancook
YouTube: Youtube.com/c/TeenCooking 
Contact: jordankalif@gmail.com

I was recently honored to get the opportunity to interview Nancy Sidnam, the founder of the Wellie Project. TWP has such an inspirational message that I am excited to share. Check out my interview with Nancy here: 
http://www.thewellieproject.com/2015/07/21/interview-with-teen-chef-jordan-weber/

Congratulations Nancy on recently becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist! I understand this hasn't always been your career, how did you decide on this profession? 

My first job after college was actually in the advertising industry. It was a great learning experience, but I wanted to find a career that was a better fit for my personality, goals, and values. My “aha” moment happened while watching the first season of British chef Jamie Oliver’s television show “Food Revolution” in 2010. Jamie made cooking and healthy eating look fun, and it was clear that he was positively impacting so many people. I was definitely inspired, and, after doing a little research, I learned that I could combine my own passion for food and cooking with my desire to help others into a career as a registered dietitian!

What is the Wellie Project?

The Wellie Project is three things: it’s a movement that is empowering girls to take charge of their health; it’s a lifestyle that encourages them to find the wellness habits and practices that work best for them; and it’s a community where girls can connect and share their stories with each other. Our goal is to provide as much information and inspiration as possible to help everyone become their best self, no matter what point they are starting from. 

What inspired you to start the Wellie Project? 


It originally started as a personal wellness blog called “Diary of a Wellie” that I had for a couple of years during graduate school. I love writing, photography, inspiring people and sharing content that I find interesting, and the blog gave me a way to do that with my friends and family. But I wanted to do more than just document my journey; I wanted to create a place where I could also help others start their own journey by sharing what I’ve learned and what I continue to learn every day. 

During my time as a grad student, I was babysitting for an amazing family with two girls, and that’s when the pieces really started coming together. As I watched them and their friends grow from kids to teenagers, I noticed that they were dealing with many of the same themes I was, like health, relationships, stress, balance, happiness, etc. We spent a lot of time talking about these things, and in a way we were all navigating life together – I just had a few more years of experience under my belt, as well as more tools for dealing with it all. Naturally it didn’t take long before I realized that they were the ones I most wanted to share my message with. They were smart, savvy, and had access to the same technology that I did, so there was no reason why they needed to wait until they were older to start embracing wellness. My goal became to create The Wellie Project as a resource for them, and from there the idea has just kept growing!

Why do you believe it is important for young people to live healthy lifestyles? 

Because it makes life so much better! When you practice healthy living, you are more in tune with your body and mind. You have a greater ability to recognize when something is off, and you know how to get yourself back on track to feeling your best. It also becomes easier to deal with life’s ups and downs because you have something to lean on that will guide you through it. 

What characteristics make up a "Wellie Life"? 

A wellie life is based on the following principles:

1. Eat for nourishment
2. Move your body
3. Sleep well
4. Deal with stress
5. Build healthy relationships
6. Explore your passions
7. Find balance
8. Embrace mindfulness
9. Express gratitude
10. Practice self-compassion
11. Nurture your spirituality
12. Radiate love

These principles can mean different things to different people, and they may not apply in the same ways to everyone. Their meanings can also evolve or change throughout life, and that’s totally OK too! Ultimately, they are here to remind you of what’s important when you need a little guidance. I know I come back to them whenever I’m feeling out of whack, and they help me figure out how to feel better.

What advice would you give to young people that are currently struggling to lead a healthy lifestyle?

I think it’s so important to spend time thinking about the big picture of health and defining what it means to you. Become clear on your intentions and give your journey a purpose. What do you want your ideal life to look like? How do you want to feel? How will leading a healthy lifestyle help you get there? Why is this important to you? Write it out, create a vision board, tell someone you trust, or express it any other way you want. This is the first step in bringing that vision to life. 

Rather than fighting to “figure it all out” right away and getting frustrated if nothing is working, think about this as a journey of discovery. Now is the best time to open yourself up to new experiences and ideas so you can start learning what feels right for you. And even if you try 10 new things and none of them work out, that’s still progress! Sooner or later you’ll find things that do work, and piece-by-piece you’ll begin to build a solid foundation of health practices that you can be proud of.

What are your hopes for the future regarding the Wellie Project? 

I want it to become the ultimate go-to place for girls who are ready to take charge of their health, where they can find all of the information, support and inspiration they need. As it continues to grow online, I hope to someday start offering in-person experiences and events, teach workshops, create local chapters that girls can join, and so much more! 


Thank you Nancy! Make sure to check out The Wellie Project on Instagram, @thewellieproject, and on thewelliproject.com!